Headlight.



No. 758,723.. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. w. P. WALSH.

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1903 N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor WFITEZCsk" Witnesses PATENTBD MAY 3, 1904.

W. P. WALSH.

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 190 3. NO MODEL. 3 BHEETSBHBET 2.

i 28 4 r I. l I Z 2? a Inventor Witsses I ,44 I? s o A I By f I Attorney PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

W. F. WALSH. HEADLIGHT.

APPLIOATION FILED mm: 9. 1 903.

3 SHBETS-SHEBT 3.

N0 MODEL,

Inventor 7F 15% M Attorney EYERs c0, s-mwunm I No. 758,723.

UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

WILLIAM F. \VALSH, OF BOONE, IOWA.

HEADLIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,723, dated May 8, 1904.

Application filed June 9, 1903. Serial No. 160,703. (No model.)

To (all whom, it 'nmy concern.-

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM F. IVALsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boone, in the county of Boone and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights; and I do declare the following The object of the invention is to provide a headlight for locomotives which may be quickly and easily darkened when occasion may require.

Another object is to provide simple and effective means for actuating the darkeningshutters which may be operated by the en gineer in the cab, thus obviating the necessity and danger to the fireman in climbing out to the front of the locomotive to darken the light.

A further object is to provide means for indicating to the engineer in the cab that the shutters have operated properly and that the light has been entirely darkened.

Still another object is to provide a headlight the construction of which will offer the least resistance to the wind and containing means for darkening the same which will be simple, strong, and durable, inexpensive, and reliable.

/Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a locomotive, showing the application of the device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, through the lower portion of a headlight-box, showing the operating mechanism in top plan view with the shutters open. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the shutters closed. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the operating mechanism detached, parts of the cylinder being broken away for illustration of the interior parts. Fig. 5 is an inner side view of one of the shutter-plates. -Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig: 5,

showing the manner of mounting the guiderollers on the shutter-plates. Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the lamp-box, parts being broken away for illustration. Fig. 8 is a detail front View of a pair of shutters in closed position, showing a modified form of construction.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a locomotive-boiler. 2 denotes the cab. 3 denotes the headlight-box, mounted, as usual, upon the forward end of the locomotive; The box 3 is substantially semicircular in horizontal section or is provided with a semicircular or rounded outer face in which is formed an opening 4, closed by a hinged door 5. In the door 5 is formed the light-opening, covered by the usual glass lens 6.

At the bottom of the box 3 and near the rear of the same is arranged a transversely-disposed cross-bar 7, the ends of which are turned up and secured to the sides of the box in any suitable manner. At the center of the bar 7 are pivoted near their inner ends two angularlybent operating-levers 8 and 9. The ends of the outer and longer arms of said levers are turned up, and to the same are connected the lower ends of curved shutter-plates 10, which upon operation of the lovers 8 and 9 are adapted to be brought together across the light-opening 4: in the box to close the same.

On the inner sides of the shutter-plates and at each corner of the same are fixed small cylinders or tubes 12, closed at their inner ends, and in said cylinders are arranged the inner oflset ends of guide-roller shanks 13, carrying at their outer ends guide-rollers 14. Coiled springs 15 are also arranged in the cylinders 12 and bear against the closed ends of the same and the ends of the shanks 13 to force said roll ers outwardly.

16 denotes curved guides or tracks formed on or fixed to the inner side of the top and bottom of the box 3 adjacent to the curved outer wall of the same, said tracks being adapted to receive and guide the rollers l t and to hold the shutter-plates in place, the springs 15 causing the rollers to yieldingly engage said tracks, thereby permitting the easy movement of the shutter-plates and also compensating for the wear of the parts.

To the short inner end of the lever 8 is pivotally connected one end of a fluid-pressure cylinder 16, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 17, the opposite end of the link being pivoted to the bar To the short inner end of lever 9 is pivotally connected the outer end of a piston-rod 18, having on its opposite end a piston-head 19, which is adapted to work in the cylinder 16.

2O denotes a coiled spring arranged on the rod 18 between the piston-head 19 and the inner end of the cylinder, the tension of said spring being exerted to normally force the piston head and rod into the cylinder.

21 denotes a nipple formed on the outer end of the cylinder, through which and the end of the cylinderis an .opening for the admission and discharge of air or other fluid to the cylinder. To the nipple 21 is connected one end of afiexible pipe'22, which projects out of one side of the light-box 3, and is connected at itsopposite 'endto the end of an air-pipe 23, which runs back to the cab and connects with theair-reserVoir pipe. The pipe 23 is here shown as passing through the hollow handrail of the locomotive, but may be supported upon the boiler in any suitable manner. 7

24: denotes a three-way cock arranged in the pipe 23 within convenient reach of the engineer. e

In the top of the box 3 are formed two small openings 25, which are adapted to be covered and uncovered by a plate or slide 26, projecting upwardly under the top of the box 3 and carried by the shutter-plates 10 in such a position that when the shutters are open the holes 25 will be coveredby the plates or slides 26, but when the shutters are entirely closed the holes will be uncovered and a ray of light permitted to shine through the holes, which will indicate to the engineer that the parts have operated correctly and the shutters entirely closed and will also indicate to the engineer of an approaching train the position of the locomotive on which the light is darkened.

The shutters may be in the form of metal plates, or they may be constructed, as shown in Fig. 8, in the form of open frames having colored-glass panels or arranged to display the number of the locomotive or the words Extra or Special, or anyother information which it may be desired to convey to the engineer of an approaching train.

On the meeting edges of the shutter-plates are fixed rubber strips 27, which form a lighttight joint, similar rubber strips '28 being fixed on the edges of the door 5.

In operation when it is desired to darken the light or display the signal on the shutter the cock 24: is opened, allowing air from the train-pipe to pass through the pipes 23 and 22 and into the cylinder 16, which will force out the piston head and rod and actuate the lever 9 to close one shutter, and at the same time the cylinder 16 will be forced in the opposite direction and actuate the lever 8 and close the other shutter, in which position they will be held until the cook 24: is turned to cut ofi the air-supply and discharge the air in the cylinder and the pipes 22 and 23, when the spring 20 will restore the parts to their former positions and open the shutters, as will be understood.

Among the advantages derived from the use of a headlight equipped as herein described is the quickness with which the light may be darkened or a signal displayed. Frequently there is but a moment of time in which to darken the light or display a signal, and at that particular moment the fireman may be performing some duty in the cab and not available to attend to the light, which, if equipped with the mechanism herein described, may be quickly darkened or a signal thrown in front of the same by the engineer without leaving his post. q

The simple and inexpensive construction of the operating mechanism being other advantages as well as the reliability of operation.

Any form of light may be used in connection with this box such as gas, electricity, or oil.

While I have shown and described the darkening device in connection with a semicircular or rounded front light-box, I donot wish to be understood as confining myself to such par. ticular shape, as it is obvious that the mechanism herein described may be applied to lamp-boxes of any shape.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 1. In a headlight for locomotives, the combination with a light-box, of reversely-movable shutters adjustable toward and from each other to close and open a light-opening in said box, and fluid-pressure means for operating said shutters from the cab of the locomotive, substantially as described.

2. In a headlight for locomotives, the combination with a light-box, of shutters having a sliding engagement with said box, mechanism for operating said shutters to open or close the same, and fluid-pressure means for actuating said mechanism, substantially as described.

3. In a headlight for locomotives, the combination with a light-box, having guide-tracks, of shutters having a yieldable, sliding engagement with said guide-tracks, operatinglevers pivotally mounted near the bottom of said box, one end of said levers being connected to said shutters, and fiuidpressure means connected to the opposite ends of said levers whereby the same may be actuated from the cab of the locomotive to open and close said shutters, substantially as described.

4. In a headlight for locomotives, the combination with a light-box, of shutters having a sliding engagement with said box to close the lightopening in the same,operatinglevers pivotally mounted near the bottom of said box, one end of said levers being connected to said shutters, the opposite ends of said levers being connected, one, to a fluid-pressure cylinder and the other to the end of a piston-rod working in said cylinder, whereby upon admission of fluid to said cylinder said levers will be actuated to close said shutters, means openingsai d shutters, upon the releasing of said fluid-pressure, and means for control-.

' levers being connected, one, to a fluid-pressure cylinder and the other to the end of a piston-rod working in said cylinder, whereby upon admission of fluid to said cylinder said levers will be actuated to close said shutters, a coiled spring arranged in said cylinder, whereby upon releasing-said fluid-pressure the parts will be restored to their normal positions and the shutters opened, an air-pipe connecting said cylinder to the air-reservoir pipe of the locomotive, and a three-way cock arranged in said air-pipe, within the cab of said locomotive, whereby the admission and release of air to said cylinder is controlled, substantially as described. I

6. In a headlight for locomotives, the combination with a semicircular or rounded front light-box, of curved shutters having a sliding engagement with said box, mechanism for operating said shutters to open or close the same, and fluid-pressure means for actuating said operating mechanism from the cab of the locomotive, substantially as described.

7. A headlight having a main and a supplemental light-opening, a shutter for closing the main opening, a second shutter for closing the supplemental opening, said shutters being adapted to simultaneously cover one and uncover the other opening, and fluid-pressure means for operating said shutters, substantially as described.

8. A headlight having a main and a supplemental light-opening, a shutter for closing the main opening, fluid-pressure mechanism for actuating said shutter, and a second shutter for closing the supplemental opening, said shutters operating to alternately close one opening and expose the other, substantially as described.

9. A headlight having a main and a supplemental light-opening, a shutter for closing the main opening, fluid-pressure mechanism for actuating said shutter, and a second shutter carried by the first-named shutter for closing the supplemental opening when the main opening is exposed, and vice versa, substantially as described.

10. A headlight provided with fluid-pressure-operated means for obscuring the light and exposing a supplemental light to indicate the condition of the illuminating mechanism therein, substantially as described.

11. A headlight having a main and asupplemental light-opening, and fiuidpressureoperated means for simultaneously covering one opening and exposing the other opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. WVALSH. \Vitnesses:

FRED C. OLMSTEI), ANDY DOIIERTY. 

